State Medicaid Cuts – Illinois

Posted on May 25, 2012 by townsend

• Legislature OKs Medicaid cuts; no vote yet on cigarette tax, By Doug Finke and Chris Wetterich, May 24, 2012, State Journal-Register: “The Illinois House and Senate on Thursday passed pieces of a Medicaid overhaul, including legislation slashing $1.6 billion from the program. Gov. Pat Quinn praised legislators but said their work won’t be complete until they pass a $1-per-pack cigarette tax. ‘Raising the price of cigarettes is also sound health policy. Smoking-related conditions are a significant burden on our Medicaid system, and this measure will improve the health of our people and reduce future Medicaid costs,’ he said in a statement. The House voted 94-22 and the Senate voted 44-13 to adopt the cuts in Senate Bill 2840, which range from outright elimination of some programs – like Illinois Cares Rx, a prescription drug assistance program for seniors – to taking extra steps to ensure that those receiving aid are entitled to it. The bill now heads to Quinn’s desk…”
• Illinois Legislature passes $1.6 billion in Medicaid cuts, By Ray Long and Alissa Groeninger, May 25, 2012, Chicago Tribune: “Hundreds of thousands of poor Illinoisans would lose health coverage, prescription drug discounts for seniors would be dropped and dental care for adults would be greatly curtailed as part of $1.6 billion in budget cuts lawmakers approved Thursday. The major Medicaid reductions ignited anger in some lawmakers who say the cutbacks will jeopardize the lives of the state’s most vulnerable residents. ‘I don’t know where it’s written in the law that this has to be balanced on the backs of poor people, on the backs of seniors, on the backs of the aged, blind and disabled,’ said Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago. But supporters argued failure to approve the bill could lead to cuts throughout state government and result in the collapse of the entire Medicaid system…”